Purple Silk Ties
by Jean Cooper
Summary: Something about those men drew women like her and I in, ensnared us in a fantasy, and kept us happily sated with it. AU dedicated to Sugarapplesweet
1. Chapter 1

**So this is my AU Kai/Claire fic. I'm going to do my best to update this rather quickly, and the chapters will more than likely be short considering my track record, probably rarely topping ten pages in length. This is a more serious plot than I usually deal with, and I hope I do it some justice. I hope its not uber over cliché (sweatdrop) Try to enjoy :)**

**This fic is dedicated to Sugarapplesweet, who although she loves Kai more than any other character in the HM world, tends to torture the poor man more than all his fan girls combined.**

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_"Goddess you're amazing." The sound of his voice sent shivers down my spine, and I could feel his cool hands wondering over my nude form. I trembled at the feel, goose bumps spreading in the wake of his skillful traveling hands._

_It reminded me how seasoned he was, how many other women had felt those hands over their skin._

_How man innocents had he seduced? Had I been his first? He had certainly been surprised when our enthusiastic joining had been interrupted by my cry of pain._

_"Grazie," he had murmured against my skin, his lips pressing against my throat as he murmured soothing words in both English and Italian, most of which I wasn't fluent enough to understand._

_I racked my fingernails over his broad shoulders, marveling at the contrast between my porcelain and his olive toned skin. I couldn't believe I was here, and I tried desperately to cling to every little thing, from the small dark mole on his right shoulder to the dark curls of hair I had only seen revealed for the first time earlier today. He moved with me slowly, helping me climb the mountain of indiscernible pleasure until I screamed from the peak, crying out his name and digging my nails into his shoulders._

_When he collapsed on me I had thought nothing of it, had even gave a curious look to his murmured apology before he rolled over and pulled me snug against his chest. I closed my eyes as his long fingers combed through my hair. He tiredly whispered words of praise to me, before he finally succumbed to sleep and his soft repetitive breath brushed against my ear. I listened to the steady beat of his heart, doing my best to memorize the rhythm. _

_I was going home tomorrow, and I had wanted to make memories with this man, to remember the short summer I had spent in Italy. _

_The summer I had slept with the cook of a small seaside cafe, Kai Viento._

I shot out of bed at the sound of thunder, a small child's shriek scaring me even more than that ominous sound. I was often plagued by those memories on stormy nights, as it reminded me much of that stormy afternoon in my small villa.

"Mama!" I through the covers back as my bedroom door opened, the small child rushing to climb under them and cuddling up to me. "I'm scared," he whimpered, and I stroked his dark brown curls, pushing one ringlet from his face and smiling down at him.

"It's fine baby," I reassured him, a small pain finding its way in my heart as all to familiar brown eyes looked at me. It was my punishment I suppose, for leaving in the dawn all those years ago, to afraid to tell the man my time in Italy was up. It was only several weeks after when I realized that night, what that apology had been for. But despite it all, I wouldn't trade Kal for anything.

I closed my eyes when Kal drifted off to sleep, as always envious at his ability to quickly lose himself to slumber land. Looking at him, I can honestly say I didn't regret Italy, or Kai, nor having Kal. He was my whole world now.

I only wished that I could have found Kai to tell him about Kal. When the number I had was no longer good and I couldn't reach him I opted to write. But when I had written to the little seaside shack...I had been informed that Kai Viento no longer worked there.

No idea where he might have been, no contact number, nothing. It was if he no longer existed…

And if it hadn't been for the life I had growing in my womb, I would have been able to convince myself that he was simply an enigma, something that I had conjured up in that summer away from home.

But Kai Viento was very real, despite vanishing from the face of the earth.

It might have been for the best, for I doubted the man wanted to come live here, in America. I don't know if he could live making deep fried American food when he has seemed to enjoy making masterpieces in his kitchen- rare exotic things that were near shameful to eat.

It was really silly of me to think that he would even come here if he learned of my pregnancy, but I simply knew that man would. He wouldn't turn his back on his child nor on me. He might not have loved me, but Kai had cared for me.

Of course my older brothers hadn't thought so. I was sure if Gray and Mark had passports they would have been on the first flight to Italy to find the 'Italian jack ass' that had impregnated their baby sister. It had taken a lot of lobbying, explaining and apologizing to get them to understand that I had been the one that had used the man, and then left him. And of course I had explained not being able to get a hold of Kai. Gray hadn't taken it very well, but thankfully Mary had been able to calm him down.

I felt an all too familiar urge grip me and carefully got out of bed to not disturb Kal. After I had relieved myself I made my way to the kitchen and fixed myself a cup of juice. I stared out the patio doors as I sipped on it, watching as the lightening lit up the yard, scattered with toys for various ages between the path from my house to Gray's.

It had been more than nice of him to help me by providing me with a house to raise my child in, even if it was insanely close to his. I knew he meant well, and that was all that mattered. Gray did his best to help me as I needed it, and to be there as a role model for Kal. Mark was the same way, though he lived across town in a cramped apartment with his girlfriend Natalie.

Gray being a father of three already was better at being the fathering type, though recently Dia's impending sixteenth birthday had him on edge and moody. That and some 'punk ass prick with a pony tail' was evidently 'sniffing around.' Other than dealing with her rebellious teenage behavior, her hormones, and her burning desire to be allowed to date, he seemed to be doing fine. At least his Maria and Sabrina were still perfect innocent angels that happily believed his claim that boys, besides their family members, were infected with cooties.

And now he finally had a son on the way.

I smiled at the idea of Gray finally having a son. He had hoped for one every pregnancy but had been disappointed. Of course he loved his girls and they all had him wrapped around their little fingers, but Gray was more than happy to have a son so someone else's parents could worry about their daughters getting knocked up.

The family was no doubt growing. And with the exception of myself, the majority of the family was paired off, engaged, married, or about to be. I glanced over to the wall were my bride's maid dress was encased in a clear plastic bag. It was a deep forest green strapless empire waist gown. It was simple, and Chelsea had helped me pick it out last week.

I couldn't believe my cousin was getting married. And I certainly couldn't believe she was moving across the world. But I could understand...something about those Italian men drew women like her and I in, ensnared us in a fantasy, and kept us happily sated with it.

I only hoped that Denny Auditore could bring Chelsea half the happiness Kai Viento had brought me in our short time together.


	2. Chapter 2

**So here is the first chapter of Purple Silk Ties. I hope I did a decent enough job with his character since I usually write him as comic relief ^_^;  
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"The dawn is long upon us, _milachka."_

I groaned in protest, feeling the slender fingers of the woman trailing over my bare chest teasingly. I could smell the scent of her expensive perfume all around me, and feel her soft hair brushing over my skin as she crawled on top of me. I smirked some at her, looking over to the clock and seeing that it was indeed way past dawn, and I sighed when I realized I had no time to indulge in the playfulness the woman offered me.

"_Amore_, I'm afraid I can't today," I murmured, hand cupping her face to sooth the frown of disappointment that crossed it. "I have to go to my brother's," I added, opting to push her off me when her beautiful face wrinkled up in disgust. It was no secret that Lilia Popuri Alexandrov very much disliked my half brother. Not for any true reason, other than the fact she was jealous that he was more important to me than her.

It was one of the reasons I was wary of the relationship I shared with the Russian Heiress. She knew I had no intentions of making a commitment to her, and yet she still offered to warm my bed. And I was never the type of man to turn down a soft full body to keep myself busy. But recently she had been more clingy than usual. Of course I might just be more aware since this was the longest she had visited me in our few years of knowing each other. I closed my eyes in irritation when I caught her ruby red orbs boring into me, shaking my head and sitting up.

"Are you coming with me today Popuri?" I asked, my annoyance clear in my tone.

"I'd rather not, _milachka._ I don't want to upset you," she said quietly, following my lead and sitting up, the sheet pooling around her waist and revealing the nude form of her upper body. Her hand came to her face, long slender fingers brushing over her lips and trailing down her throat. She smirked some when she saw my eyes following that seductive trail, fingertips grazing over her left breast, causing her nipple to harden. I narrowed my eyes and fought down lustful urges even as she spoke. "Are you sure you can't find the time to thoroughly ravish me before you must depart?"

"No," I said firmly, shaking my head and rolling my eyes when she huffed, standing up and angrily walking over to gather her clothes.

"_Nyet_? I return home tomorrow and you can't spend this last day with me?" she muttered darkly, her long magenta hair pooling down to her hips.

"I'm leaving tonight for America," I muttered back, standing up and quickly dressing. "It's not like you didn't know Denny was getting married. I offered to take you, but you cannot swallow you distaste for him for a weekend," I added harshly, buckling my belt and narrowing my eyes when an object hit the wall by me.

"I should be more important than your brother!" she shrieked out, her face red and her cheeks puffing childishly from her anger. "He gets you for the next several days, and I won't be back for a few months!"

"You knew that I had to do this yesterday," I spat back, running a hand through my curly hair and quickly closing the distance between us when she grabbed another object. I held her wrists tightly and firmly, irritated fully with his childish behavior. "If it was going to bother you that much you should have come back earlier instead of spending my money all day," I hissed, knowing it hit a nerve with her that I could easily see her as a user.

Of course I knew Popuri wasn't, I had offered. But jabbing at that wound easily subdued her angry temper. I released her wrists and walked back to my closet, grabbing my button up dress shirt. "I grow tired of you childish antics and you immature jealousy. Perhaps you should not return until you get it through you beautiful head that you are my lover, not my girlfriend, and not my wife," I added harshly. Even as the words left me I felt slightly guilty, but I was in no mood to take them back.

I was sure that when she came back in the next few months I could easily sooth her dented pride. And perhaps then she would be a little more humble.

I didn't offer her any affection before I left, simply a courteous wish of a safe journey home. I waited outside on the car to come pick me up, my fingers itching to run through my curls again. It was annoying that I couldn't wear my bandanna, but over the time since I had become the acting owner of my Grandfather's chain of restaurants, I had grown used to not wearing it. Grandma Eve had grown tired of it and had harshly informed me that if I wanted to remain the successor for the company that I had best start dressing the part.

I stepped into the car, mumbling a greeting to Zack and sighing when he closed the door behind me. This was really not what I planned to be doing with my life. Granted I loved the freedom that came with the money, but honestly I would rather have had what I did before. A small seaside café where I could dress and act how I wanted, make what I wanted, and simply be myself.

And if there happened to be a regular tourist that was a customer, with insanely long shapely legs, then so be it. I chuckled somewhat bitterly at the thought, very much disappointed in myself for thinking about _her._

Claire Rivers had been a lovely chapter in my life, with a bitter heart wrenching ending. Till this day I had no idea what had happened to her, though I hadn't really had the chance to find out when Denny had called me with his troubles.

As much as I had loved the woman, despite how brief our courting, and our even briefer coupling, I had not felt her important enough to go after when my brother had needed me. She had been intelligent and beautiful, and, until I had gotten a hold of her, innocent. I didn't know what had made her steal away in the late night and early hours of the morning from my embrace, and I suppose I never would.

Fear more than likely.

It had been clear from our first encounter she thought of me as rather lecherous. And in ways I was. But she had been the first woman to make me feel I could change that. Since Claire…I had only taken a few lovers here and there. Popuri, Lanna… and few weekends with an intriguing woman named Harvest.

A very lovely woman indeed. And entirely too full of intuition and correct assumptions. I was blocking out any attempt that anyone had to get inside my heart. Granted I cared for all the woman I bedded, but…I didn't truly love any of them. Not since Claire had stolen away in the dawn with my heart held tightly in her delicate little hands.

When Zack opened the car door at the hotel Denny and his fiancé were staying at, I felt a tight feeling in my chest. I hadn't met Chelsea yet because Denny had been very good at keeping her away from our family. He seemed to not want her to be around his past, parts of himself that he wasn't entirely proud of. Though I'm sure any former addicts didn't want members of the family that didn't think he had changed yet drudging up bits of his past to a woman who was part of his new future.

I didn't know what to expect of the woman only that I knew she was 'the most beautiful and irritating woman in the world'. Of course my opinion was somewhat biased, and I laughed some at the thought of a very manly looking woman opening the door I had just knocked on. But I quickly choked on that laugh when the door opened and I blinked down into a stunningly familiar pair of dark blue eyes.

For a second the small redheaded woman in front of me turned into a slightly shorter blond, her eyes shinning up at me with a faint blush over her cheeks. It was her words that made her change back, because her soft gentle voice was nothing like the quiet husky one I had remembered.

"You must be Kai. I'm Chelsea," she began, opening the door to let me in and smiling at me. "Denny is down stairs getting us some breakfast," she continued on, but I had tuned her out because I was in another time and place. She seemed to notice my mental distance, and I shook my head and smiled weakly down at her.

"I'm sorry, _sorella,_" I murmured out, unable to stop my hand from pushing back her auburn bangs. "Your eyes…remind me of someone I used to know," I added softly, shaking my head to rid myself of the memories. She seemed to understand, and I narrowed my eyes at her understanding smile.

"Denny told me about the one who got away from you," she offered, and I felt the corners of my lips twitch down.

"Denny has always had a knack for talking about things better left unsaid," I muttered, rubbing my temples to ease the tension I felt growing in my head.

"You're one to talk, _Fratello,"_ I turned towards the deep voice, smirking at my baby brother. He was several inches shorter than me, and his hair was longer. His frame was also more slim than mine, and he seemed to still not have grown into his body fully. And yet here he was at the age of 22, getting married.

I hugged the man before allowing him to stand next to his intended, examining them thoroughly. Denny stood a head taller than the fair skinned red head in his arms, and the contrasts between them were striking to the eye. And yet despite all their differences they seemed to simply fit together. I reached forward and took Chelsea's pale hand, bringing it to my lips and brushing them over it.

"Welcome to the family, _sorella. _I only hope that the rest of your family is as lovely as you."

Denny rolled his eyes when Chelsea flushed and began to giggle. There was something about the way she held her hand over her face that made me think of Claire once more. It was just a coincidence, and was probably just something American women did. Just because she had a similar eye color and few quirks didn't really mean anything.

I would be glad when I got back from this wedding, when my life could get back to normal.

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**I don't speak Russian or Italian, and I google search the majority of foreign terms that I use. Popuri is an only child in this story- and named after her mother thus her long name-, so I've changed her up, and tried my best to make her a grownup and keep that bit of immaturity that makes her seem slightly spoiled. I had fun with this chapter, and even though I hadn't much planned for her to be here in the future, I might bring her back.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Well here is the next chapter of this story. I'm working on multiple things right now, and for anyone who reads MEMF- Gray is being rather difficult. I'm working on a few new things, trying to be productive. Hopefully I'll update more over the holiday this week :)**

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I adjusted my glasses as I escorted the last member of the final group of the day out of the museum, sighing as I locked the doors firmly behind them.

"What a day," I muttered to myself, running my long skinny fingers through my shaggy bangs and absent mindedly reaching back to make sure my pony tail was secure and not messy. It was amazing I hadn't managed to pull it out today after running three elementary school field trips and four middle school ones through the place.

Middle school students mostly came on these field trips to get out of classes for the day, and weren't all that interested. Elementary students on the other hand tended to be more mischievous and more opt than not to get separated from the group and cross boundaries on the exhibits to get a better look. That of course usually ended in damage to our exhibits, and more work for both me and Ms. Rivers.

I sighed again as I walked towards the elevator, leaning against the cool metallic wall as I hit the button for the collections basement. I stared at my reflection in the metal, my large green eyes glaring at me tiredly as the doors shut and the elevator began to descend.

"So are you going to ask her today Rick? Or will you stand there smiling stupidly at her while another opportunity slips by you?"

I pulled a small box out of my pocket after a moment, fingers brushing over the black velvet before returning it to my pocket.

_It was too soon._

_Claire didn't even have a clue that I loved her. _

_All she had time for in her life was work and her son. _

_And she didn't even see me as anything more than a good friend._

And I had already learned from previous experience that being a good friend couldn't work out all your problems. My ex wife had proven that to me.

Understanding, friendship, and even love can only get you so far when the other party was addicted to alcohol.

Karen and I had been married roughly two years, and though she had quit drinking during her pregnancy of our son Eric, she had picked up again shortly after he was born. That hadn't been what ended it though. It had been her affair with Jack Richardson.

Karen had filed for divorce two weeks before our second anniversary, and it had finalized rather quickly considering I had been in too much of a shock and too hurt to fight it.

Jack was a decent man, all things considered, and I was deeply indebted to him for shielding Eric from his mother's demons. Jack had called me a few months ago to inform me that I should file for custody of my son, seeing as how he was planning on divorcing Karen and she was not able to care for the child as he needed her to with her problems.

So I already had one failed marriage, a broken home, and a son I was allowed visitation to for every other weekend, the winter holidays and a few weeks during the summer. But if the high dollar lawyer I had hired to file for full custody of Eric was worth what I was paying him, than I should be able to bring my son home with me all the time when Karen's divorce was finalized.

I straightened my tie when I felt the elevator lurch to a stop, my thoughts returning to the woman that would be in here, cataloging some newly acquired items. It took me a little longer to find her, and I really wasn't all that surprised that she was carefully cleaning some late renaissance paintings.

I watched as she dabbed the painting in certain places with a cotton swab soaked in a safe cleaning solution. My eyes followed the gentle flow of her hand as she worked, before flickering to her body to examine her. Her long khaki skirt hid her long legs and her lavender blouse made her blue eyes more vivid than usual, and that was only amplified under the lenses of the glasses she always wore when working on something meticulous. Her posture was stiff as she concentrated, but one could still make out her slender figure. Her golden hair was pulled into a sloppy bun that some strands of hair had fallen out of, wisps of the stray bits framing her heart shaped face.

Claire was no doubt a very gorgeous woman, even though she didn't realize it.

"It's time to go home," I said, chuckling when she jumped. Her face turned towards me, her hand over her chest as she tried to calm her heart. She then lifted her hand up, glancing at her watch and frowning.

"Oh my…" she murmured, rubbing her temple with one hand and beginning to gather her supplies with another. "It's nearly time to pick up Kal," she muttered, shaking her head at her own forgetfulness.

"I know," I drawled out, crossing my arms over my chest and leaning against the wall as she shoved her things into a drawer. "That's why I came down here to make sure you didn't get lost in your work. Again."

"Richard," she chided, narrowing her eyes at me as she removed her glasses. I stuck my tongue out at her, knowing she had used my full name to let me know she wasn't in the mood for my teasing. "You know…if I didn't believe that I would forget the way out of here, I wouldn't put up with you."

"That hurts," I said, frowning at her statement. She simply shrugged her shoulders and grabbed her purse. "Do we need to get anything to bring to your brothers tonight?"

"Not that I'm aware of," she murmured, glancing down at her watch again. "Let's go. I promised Kal I wouldn't be late…"

I nodded and walked with her and back to the elevator. I could smell her Verra Wang perfume, and sighed some. It was difficult to long for someone the way I did her.

It was even harder when I wasn't exactly sure why.

Claire had come to the museum when she had first gotten pregnant, and I suppose since I had just lost my wife and son, I had clung to her more than I should have. I knew for the most part her family approved of me- with the exception of her brother Mark. He felt that I was clinging to Claire and her son as a way to replace my own. I resented that opinion, but then again it wasn't really Mark's that mattered.

It was Gray's. And he had been more than happy with the idea of me being a stable man in his baby sister's life.

And a father figure for his nephew.

Though I wasn't sure what would happen when I had my son returned to me.

I jumped when I felt the small device in my pocket began to buzz, narrowing my eyes at the ringtone that began to play. I sighed and mumbled an apology to Claire as I answered the phone, hearing the all too familiar sounds of a pub in the background.

"Karen, what is wrong?"

"You need to go get him," she slurred out some, and I narrowed my eyes at the tone of voice. "Jack won't do it, and I'm not ready to leave…"

"I'll get him," I said firmly, reaching up to rub my temple in frustration. Less than two minutes on the phone with ones ex wife could result in a migraine of epic proportions.

"I'll pick him up when I leave," Karen began to offer and I furrowed my brow.

"No. Eric will stay with me tonight. There is no need for you to come get him. I'll take him back to nursery school in the morning," I assured her, and after a long pregnant pause I heard her sigh.

"Fine. Keep him all week then. Jack's going out of town. Eric knows where the spare key is at. Pick up his clothes."

I muttered an alright before snapping the phone shut, a long drawn out sigh leaving me. I felt Claire's small hand on my arm and turned to see her offering me a reassuring smile.

"I take it plans have changed, and you can't take me to the rehearsal," she murmured out. I would like to think that she was somewhat disappointed, but I knew already she wasn't. She was still very much clinging to the man that had impregnated her.

"I'm afraid so. I can still drop you off, but…I have to go get Eric's things from Karen and Jack's apartment."

"It can't be helped then."

I frowned some at her words, and stiffly nodded my head as we made it to the car. I opened the passenger door for the woman, and closed it behind her once she was safely inside. For some reason…I had a rather bad feeling about the events that were going to take place tonight.

And when I saw an eerily familiar looking fellow- with olive skin and brown hair, probably around my age, stepping out of a taxi with a redheaded woman and slightly younger looking version of himself and walking into the large building Claire had just disappeared in, that feeling simply intensified.

"Daddy, what's wrong?"

"Nothing Eric," I assured my son, turning around to give him a smile. I watched as he gave me an awkward grin, adjusting his large wire rimmed glasses and pushing his long bright redish looking hair out of his face. I ruffled his hair before merging back into traffic.

Things were about to change- I could feel it in my gut.


	4. Chapter 4

"Thank you," I murmured to my brother as he handed me a can of soda, and his wife a glass of ice water. Mary adjusted her glasses, her small delicate hand resting on her large protruding belly. Mary echoed my thank you, and rested some against her husband as he stood behind her.

"I can take you home. We don't have to be here," Gray muttered again, and Mary shook her head, her long wavy ebony hair shaking behind her.

"I'm fine. Just a little tired. I'll be ok until we return home," she reassured him, giving a somewhat exasperated sigh. "I swear Gray, after three of them I would think you would be used to it."

"You've never had false pains before either," he muttered back, his large hand rubbing his temple.

"How long are they lasting?" I asked curiously, watching my brother's wife pat her belly.

"Oh, they last a few days, then quit, and then when they start up again I think it's the real thing. The OBGYN said to just come in if and when my water breaks," she explained, smiling at me and turning to look at my older brother when he snorted.

"If you ask me the prick ought to just put you in the hospital till the baby comes."

"But my due date isn't for another three weeks," Mary protested, scowling up at her husband. I shook my head, feeling free wisps of my hair brush my ears.

"Ladies and Gentlemen the happy couple has arrived!" the announcer informed us, and I turned to the door of the party room, smiling at my cousin. I gasped, but not because of the stunning couple that was beginning to great Chelsea's immediate family, but rather because of the slightly taller man standing behind them.

"_Ah, Buon giorno, la bella signor."I flushed at the cook's words, fingers brushing my bangs out of my face as I stared up into his sparkling brown eyes._

"_Kai," I began, but stopped when he placed a plate of food in front of me._

"_I went ahead and made your usual, mio bella signor."_

"_Flatteries will do you little good with me, Senior Viento," I murmured, though I couldn't help but to grin at him._

"_So you keep telling me mio signor, and yet the blush on your face says something entirely different."_

"I want to thank everyone for coming. My fiancé and I are happy to see you all." Denny announced, and his accent brought me out of my flashback, and I couldn't help but to smile. I looked over the man, noting how he had changed. His face looked bored, and I could tell that there were bags under his eyes.

He didn't much resemble the carefree man I had known years ago. He instead seemed stressed, tired…

Unhappy. I frowned at the thought, though I was quick to snap my head in my brother's direction as he spoke.

"Check out that guy behind them. Damn he looks familiar," Gray said thoughtfully, and I felt my face blushing at my brothers words.

"He ought to," I muttered quietly, turning my head to the side and seeing Mary looking at me curiously. "He's Kal's father."

"What?" Gray snapped, his eyes on mine for a moment before he went to step towards the door way.

"Gray," Mary said sternly, stepping in front of him and gripping his arms tightly. "No. This isn't the place."

"But that's him- the guy that knocked up my sister and sent her home without anything."

"Technically I left him," I reminded my brother, and I watched as he calmed some, that ever present fact being a constant aspect of my life that I had to inform him of. "He doesn't know anything Gray."

"And Claire should be the one to tell him," Mary added hastily, frowning as she glanced down at her swollen belly. "Oh dear…Gray. The pains are back."

"I'll take you home," he muttered darkly, his hands resting on her shoulders tightly. "I think its best for you, and that guy," he muttered, jerking his head over towards Kai, whom was standing behind the couple who had the majority of the party's attention on them. "Come on Mares, I'll take you to the car," he said more gently, his left hand moving down to rub soothingly over her large belly. "I'll come back in for the kids- all the kids," he added, his narrowed eyes landing on me. "That way you two can have a grown up talk about it."

"That would most likely be best," I said quietly, trying my best to keep from smiling at my brother's erratic behavior. He was too over protective of the women in his life. But I suppose it was normal for him to want to keep us save.

I watched as the couple walked slowly towards the exit hallway, Gray's whispered words about picking his wife up blown off by a rather angry hiss that 'I'm entirely too heavy for that. You'll throw out your back.' I stiffened a giggle and glanced back towards the Italian man that had haunted my dreams for the last five years.

Only he was just a few feet in front of me.

And the fact that he was so close had me taking in a sharp breath. Whether he heard it or not, I wasn't sure, but he did turn his head in my direction. And his brown eyes widened, flickering over my form as he tried to take me in. I could see by the look on his face that he wasn't sure if he knew me or if I just looked very familiar.

"And this is my cousin Claire. She'll be my maid of honor," Chelsea said, her small hand patting my shoulder. "Claire this is Denny's brother…"

"Kai," I said quietly, a light flush crossing my cheeks as I glanced to my cousin. Her face was a little surprised, and she looked between the two of us.

"Y-yes. Kai…" she trailed off, her eyes widening some as she nodded her head. "Right..." she trailed off, her eyes immediately darting around. They landed on our great Aunt Muffy, and she took off in her direction, calling out to the deaf woman.

"Mio signor," he murmured thoughtfully, his lips pulling into a small smile. "So fate has thrown us together again," he said quietly, his hands pushing into his coat pockets.

"Something like that," I whispered, nervously smoothing my khaki skirt. I suddenly wished I had gone home earlier and changed into something more flattering. But..

"It's been a long time, hasn't it?" he asked, looking around the room and gesturing his head towards the wall. It was less crowded over there, and I walked silently to the area.

"It's been over five years," I said gently, my left hand coming up to hold the upper part of my right arm. I smiled up at the man, my eyes shutting tightly. "How have you been?"

"Ah, busy," he responded, rubbing the back of his neck. "I know you didn't know…but…my family owns a very popular chain of restaurants in Europe."

"That explains a lot, doesn't it?" I laughed, my nerves growing with each passing second. I knew what was coming. Especially with the growing pause between us.

"Why…did you leave?" he finally asked, and I bit my bottom lip. I often asked myself that myself.

"I…it was time to go. And I was young…and somewhat impulsive," I offered, twirling a stray strand of hair around my finger. "I some what panicked I suppose."

"So you left in the dawn, without so much as a word?" he muttered a little bitterly, and I frowned, my eyes narrowing.

"I did try to contact you several weeks later," I dead panned, and though I could tell by his face he was genuinely shocked, I kept my angry look. "I called the number I had, and it was no longer good. I called the restaurant. And before that…" I felt my heart ache at the confession I was about to make. Before I knew I was pregnant… "I wrote you too. To explain to you that I was an idiot…"

It had been after I had called because of my pregnancy before I was returned those letters.

"I had a family emergency back then," Kai stated, his dark eyes darting over to his brother. "Denny had needed me, but I know I had left contact information with Katie."

I glared up at the man, shaking my head at the stupidity he held at such situations.

"And you thought the woman that hated me, would give me the information to contact you if I asked?" I muttered angrily, wondering exactly why I hadn't gotten off my high horse and returned to Italy to find the father of my child.

But I knew- I had thought he had left on purpose.

And I couldn't blame him for doing the same thing I had.

"Katie didn't hate you," he said, his expression confused.

"She wanted to be with you. I was an obstacle," I explained, shaking my head. "I'm sorry Kai. This…this makes things so much more difficult to explain…"

Kai stepped closer to me, stooping down to look me in the eyes. I felt my face burn at his intense searching gaze.

"How many times did you try?" he prodded, and I looked down, mumbling under my breath. "How many Claire?"

"I tried several times about two weeks after I left. I wrote the letters my third week, figuring they would get to you and you would call. Then…I tried contacting you at the restaurant three more weeks later, after my letter came back unopened."

"You could have come back," he said quietly, his fingertips brushing my cheek affectionately.

"What could I have said to you, to make it any better?" I said quietly, my eyes meeting his. "I still don't know what I can say to you to make it any better. What I did, was horrible. And…then… it's just unforgivable, what I've done," I whispered, stepping closer to Kai as I bit my bottom lip rougher. "There is no apology great enough for what I've done."

"_Mama_!"

I jerked away from the man at the sound of my son's voice, hysterical sounding. I heard him running, as well as several others, into the room, wondering how they had escaped the room for them to stay in. I bent down instinctively, my arms wrapping tightly around him as he clung to me.

"Sabrina pushed me down and I hurt my chin," he whined, and I found myself hugging him tighter, burying my face in his shoulder as my own eyes swelled with tears. I stood up, hand crushing over the soft curls on my sons head, and I could see the wide eyes disbelieving state of the man standing next to me.

"It's alright," I murmured, tilting his face back and kissing his slightly hurt chin. It was nothing more than a bruise and rug burn. I kissed the owie, before hugging him tighter to me, doing my best to not look at the man whose intense gaze I could feel on me. "It's alright."

"Mama," Kal whispered, his small hands pushing back from me. I looked at his calm face, noting how he had the same intense stare as his father, something I hadn't realized before. His small hands cupped my cheeks, tiny fingers brushing under my eyes. "Mama are you okay? You're crying," he asked, his usually smiling face frowning at me. He turned his head to the side, one of his ringlets falling into his face. He blew it back before leaning forward and kissing me. "Don't cry mama, it's alright. I'm not hurt that bad."

I let out a broken laugh as the child hugged me, gripping him so tightly that I thought he might think I was hurting him. But the child remained silent, as did his father, who simply seemed to be in a state of shock.

"Kai, this is my son, Kalvin," I said quietly, looking back to my son as he stared at the man in front of him. "Kal, this is Mr. Kai," I said hesitantly, not sure if telling him that this was his father was the best choice. Kal wiggled some, and I placed him down. He held out his small hand, a serious look on his face.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Kai," he said sternly, and had it been any other person standing in front of my son I might have rolled my eyes at the way Gray had been teaching him to introduce himself. Kai hesitated before he bent down, his large hand touching that of the much smaller one and encasing it. His eyes flickered to me before focusing more on the boy. I brought my hand up to my face, fisting it over my mouth in an attempt to remain calm and keep any unnecessary sounds from escaping.

Nice to meet you, _mio figlio,_" Kai's eyes flickered up to mine and I found myself nodding at his words. After all- Kal was very much his son. Kai nodded, his attention turning back to the child. "What is your name again," he asked, and I bit my lip at what he was doing.

Though I understood, it was really not necessary in this place.

"Kalvin Dante Viento-Rivers," he said proudly, jabbing his thumb in my chest. "I like Kal though. I'm four years old, and will be five on my birthday."

"That is a nice name," Kai commented weakly, his gaze flickering to mine once more. Though he kept that smile on his face, his burning eyes alerted me that he was feeling far from happy on the inside.

And that anger was directed at me.

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**So this chapter was hard to do. I wasn't sure what the appropraite reaction would be, but I am semi happy with this. Kai's POV will be next- I hope it doesn't take me as long to write as it did this bit. Thanks to all who reviewed alerted or faved this. **


	5. Chapter 5

**eh....not to happy with this update. But after agonizing over Kai's reaction I've decided this is the best I could do at my current brain function. Sorry if it sucks ^_^; Thanks for reading and reviewing.  
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"Kal, you're coming home with me," a gruff voice snapped, and the young boy let out a small squeal as he was hurled up and onto the shoulder of a large lumbering man- one that looked rather pissed off. My son gripped the man's fire red hair, and I stood, about to protest the interruption.

"Claire, call me if you need me to come back. Mark said he would take you to the house," the man said firmly, leaning down to kiss Claire's cheek. I felt a bit of outrage course through me, as I had never cared for men showing affection to women that I cared for. Ever. And just who the hell was Mark?

"Excuse me," I began, and though I saw Claire shaking her head frantically, I continued "I am…"

"I think I know more about you than you want me to know," He snapped, interrupting me. He turned his attention back to Claire, his face turning slightly red in shade as he tried to keep his voice down. "I'll be taking him so you two can talk about this," he said, his head gesturing up to the boy on his shoulders, who was now scowling at me in the same manor as the man who held him.

Surely this man was not the one raising my child. Surely he was not the man Claire had chosen as her partner in life. He was much to aggressive.

"I see," I murmured, rubbing the back of my head in growing frustration. The larger man narrowed his eyes, glancing up towards Kal and muttering "earmuffs." Kal stuck his hands tightly over his ears, and the man's hands made sure of it by pressing down harder.

"I don't know what the hell is going to be said here, but I want it clear that I don't like you, I don't want you around her or him," he snapped, gesturing to Claire and my son. "And if you try anything stupid, I wont hesitate to beat the shit out of you like I wanted to when you knocked her up."

So he was a possible jilted lover, or a friend that had been forced to take up responsibilities I had unknowingly created.

"Gray," Claire hissed, and the man turned, his scowl on the petite blond. "Stop it right now, you're being an ass."

"I don't care. You can sit on your soap box, and tell me how many times you left him over and over. It doesn't change the fact that when you tried to contact him, he had just vanished without a goddamn trace. It doesn't change the fact, that as far as I'm concerned, that little bit of information points to the fact that he was probably planning on leaving you too."

"That is nothing close to the truth," I interjected, feeling a since of rage and even a flush of embarrassment. It was true that I hadn't tried as hard to contact Claire as I had wanted. But a summer romance, despite my prey being a virgin, was not as important on my priority list as Denny's drug addiction had been. "I had reason's for leaving- urgent family business, and had _mio __signor,_" I said the term sternly, my fist clenching at the words, "stayed I would have told her."

Claire was the only woman I had ever called 'my lady.' Because even when I met her, I could never see her as anything but mine.

But be that as it was, Denny had been more important. I had wanted to help save my brother, to give him his life back.

How was I to know that in doing that, in not bothering to at least find Claire, that I would be giving up the first several years of my son's life?

Gray simply scowled at the me, before releasing Kal's ears and leaning over towards Claire.

"Kiss your mom goodbye," he said firmly, and Kal did it without hesitation. Then I gaped as the child shot me an equally angry stare as the man who carried him, crossing his arms over his chest and snubbing me as he was carried away.

"I'm sorry about Gray," Claire began, her fingers wringing nervously together. I scowled after the retreating man, resisting the urge to go after him and pluck my son off his shoulders.

"Just who is that _figlio di puttana_?"

"That," Claire hissed, and I had to wince at the feeling of her dainty fingers pinching my skin roughly. "Is my brother, Gray. So maybe you should watch just whose mother you're insulting," she muttered, her arms crossing over her chest.

I felt my ears heating, but refused to apologize. The man had been being rather rude, after all. And why I felt the rush of guilt at this woman's hurt gaze I had no clue.

After all, she had left me in the middle of the night, bore me a son, and hadn't let me know anything about it.

_She tried…_

'Not hard enough' I retorted to the voice in my head, grabbing the woman by her slender wrists and leading her out of the crowded party hall, and into a nearby darkened rom.

"Did it ever occur to you to come back to Italy and try to locate me?" I snapped as soon as the door.

"Of course," she whispered, pushing her bangs from her face and meeting my angry stare with one of her own. "But I was very unsuccessful in convincing my brothers to allow their pregnant baby sister to go search for a man who had left no contact information and had vanished from the Earth. They were more concerned with the safety of me and our unborn child than with me finding you."

"That isn't an excuse. You still…"

"What? If I had been able to find you, I could have come back and told you what? That I was pregnant, that it was yours? And you would have believed me- after I left you like I did?"

"I…" I trailed off, chewing roughly on the inside of my cheek, not sure what to say.

"Mark told me you wouldn't. That no man would. Not after one night, and not a woman that had left like I had. I…"

"She would have lost the baby," a voice chimed in, and I jerked towards the door I hadn't heard open, my eyes widening at the sight of a slender framed blond haired man, his emerald green eyes holding mine. "The stress that searching for you, and if that was the outcome when she found you, would have resulted in a miscarriage." He held out his hand, his gaze never leaving mine. "I'm Mark," he began, his voice cheerful and a smile on his face. " A pleasure to meet the man that seduced my virgin sister, didn't use protection- despite him being a seasoned lover and having been with goddess only know whom- impregnated her, then disappeared with no contact information despite knowing that he hadn't used protection."

I blinked at the man as he outstretched his hand expectantly, his voice still cheerful and the smile still there. It was a great contrast to the angry man I had encountered earlier, though I'm sure it was the same opinion. But for whatever reason this one just bothered me a lot more. I could handle anger and resentment. But this…

"So sorry that you missed out on a long and complicated pregnancy that nearly killed my sister," he continued on cheerfully, his hand grasping mine firmly.

"Mark," Claire hissed, and the man closed his eyes as his grin grew.

"He has a right to know Claire. That it was complicated, that you and Kal both almost died, and where exactly was he?" his eyes flickered to mine and his smile just did falter for a second.

My eyes moved from the man to Claire's face before returning. What complications?

"I was helping my brother," I said quietly, pushing my hair back from his face. "He found himself in a lot of trouble, and I had to protect him."

"I'm sorry, aren't you a cook?" Mark said, his blond eyebrow raising incredulously. I grimaced and shook my head.

"I um…met your sister under those pretenses. I was employed as a cook, but…I had left home and was making a new life…"

Why the hell was I explaining myself to this man? It had to be that smile, because if he had been glaring at me as his brother had, I could have been more defensive. But...

"Denny is your brother?"

"My younger half brother," I informed him, releasing the man's hand and stepping back. "He is more entitled to our family assets than myself- being a legitimate heir."

After all, my stepmother hadn't been too thrilled when Grandma Eve and Grandpa Dan had forced the business in my bastard hands.

"This is a private conversation that you've interrupted," both mine and the other man's gaze turned to the fuming woman, and I couldn't help but to raise both my eyebrows at her.

"Oh there you are," I cringed at the sound of Denny's voice, and felt his hand gripping my arm. "Come on, you have to participate in the rehearsal." I found myself being lead out of the room and into the party, giving a fake smile to all the onlookers. I looked over my shoulder to see the woman behind me looking similar to myself, though her eyes looked glossy and red.

"So now that the best man and the maid of honor are present," the pastor teased, pointing at the two of us, "We can begin."

I was vaguely aware of the instructions, my mind wondering back to the small version of myself I had laid eyes on not too long ago. It seemed almost like a dream, like this was all some twisted nightmare. But when I held out my arm to the petite blond, the feeling of fire her skin left on mine in its wake confirmed it was very much real.

"I'm sorry I left," she whispered quietly as we walked solemnly towards the altar, the organ music playing in the background. I tightened my jaw in response, taking a deep breath.

"I will be staying longer," I muttered, and she gave a stiff nod.

"I expected as much. You are more than welcome, to come to my house after the wedding tomorrow," she offered, her teeth biting roughly into her bottom lip.

"I will take you up on that," I said, my tone more gentle than before.

"He's had good role models. Gray, Mark," I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes at those names as we made it to the altar. "and Rick," she murmured, just as we parted ways. And as I took my spot on the right beside Denny, and Claire hers on the left by herself, the music started up and everyone turned to the bride. But my eyes remained focused on the woman across from me, one thought running through my mind.

Who was Rick?


	6. Chapter 6

**We have Rick again. I'm not sure if I'm happy with this, but I'm going to keep on trucking.**

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"What?" I choked out, my face paling as the words sunk in.

"Denny Auditore's brother is Kalvin's father," she repeated quietly, biting her bottom lip as she took a deep calming breath. Her small hands held up her dress as she headed to the door. "I have to go help Chelsea before the wedding," she reminded me, but I ignored her.

"And you just found that out?" I muttered incredulously, finding it hard to believe. She seemed to know my thoughts and her face flushed.

"Well they're half brothers. I saw him last night, and after the wedding he is supposed to come and spend time with Kal," she said hesitantly, pressing her lips firmly together.

"So that's it? After all this time, you find him again, and that is it? There is no fight or anything?" She frowned at my words, shaking her head as if I was the one being unreasonable.

"What is there to fight about Richard? Kalvin is Kai's son, and I can't deny it. He has the right to see him."

"No he doesn't. He doesn't have the right to anything but back child support payments," I snapped, fingers pushing my shaggy bangs back from my face. Claire scowled at me as I continued to glare at her. "The man had no clue he had a son, and honestly he should be more concerned about squaring things up with the mother of his child, before just bursting into a young impressionable child's life."

"Kal is intelligent. He'll be fine."

"This guy, what do you know about him Claire? It's been over five years. For all you know he could be married or something. You don't know anything about him. What if he's in the mafia?"

"For Goddess sake you sound like Gray now," she huffed, grabbing her purse. "We're going to be late."

"I don't care about that. I'm talking about this. You're going to let a man in here that slept with you once, knocked you up and disappeared off the face of the earth for years. Is someone going to be here with you?" I muttered, narrowing my eyes when she shook her head. "And what if he forces himself on you? Then takes off with Kalvin and leaves you for dead."

"Kai would never do anything like this. HE's one of the most gentle men I know," she retorted, shaking her head at the absurdity of my suggestion.

"How do you know? You're basing this off a guy you knew for a few months several years back," I pressed on, seeing her clinch her face.

"Because I know that I wouldn't love a person like that," she hissed, spinning on me and glaring at me with a look I had seen her give Gray on occasion. I blinked down at the woman, feeling like he slapped me before taking a deep breath.

"What about Kal?"

"Kai wont hurt Kalvin," she said harshly, obviously having enough of my protests.

"What about you Claire? He can hurt you before just like he did before" I said sternly, sighing as she wiped tears away from her eyes. "I'm sorry Claire, I just…I'm worried about you both. I'll let it be for now, but I will pick this up at another time. I don't want you upset when you got to face the facts."

She had no idea what she was in for. A long custody battle, and she would lose Kal, even if it was only partially. As children aged the time was split more evenly between the two parents. With Eric I had gotten him every other weekend and a few hours one day a week until he turned three. Then it was two weeks every other Christmas or Thanksgiving, and half the summer. And when he began school next year, I would have him half the year, and his mother the other half.

Kal was Claire's whole world, and to lose him like that would destroy her.

"I appreciate your concern Richard, but I am capable of taking care of myself, despite what you and my brothers believe."

I only hoped the woman was right.

-_-_-_-_-_-

I smiled as the dark haired girls came slowly down the aisle, carefully tossing out flower petals. I adjusted my glasses, chuckling as Kal walked pointedly towards the alter, balancing the rings on the pillow. I was becoming anxious, the conversation with Claire earlier echoing in my head.

Kal's biological father was here- in the wedding. The music changed and the brides maids came out. Natalie was escorted down the isle by Mark, her face flushing and absent of her usual expression of indifference. The next couple out was Denny's friend Ray and Chelsea's friend Alyssa. Then the man and maid of honor.

I stiffened at the sight, Claire being held tightly by a largely grinning version of Kal, his eyes meeting those of his bemused brother as he lead the blond down the aisle.

I could already tell this man was going to shake the calm waters of our lives. I had no idea what he would want to do, or if Claire had even considered the possibility he might try to take Kal. He obviously had the funds to try, and a DNA test would be a formality.

I wonder if it was normal to feel such an irritation and downright loathsome feeling towards someone who looked like an older version of a child I had watched grow and come to love almost as my own. But I knew what contributed to these feelings.

This was the man I had already lost to, the one that still held that delicate woman by the heart.

And the bastard didn't even know it, that was the worst part. I was a decent man in my own opinion, but nothing irritated me as much as sheer dumb luck. And from what I had been told and observed, Kai Viento had been dipped in glue and rolled in it.

From a cook at a seaside café to heir of a multimillionaire chain, and now from fatherless to a readymade family, complete with a woman no doubt ready to be his once more.

Men that could sow there wild oats with no consequences while men like me were taken as fools, stripped of our dignity…

I jumped to my feet as the wedding march echoed in the room, determined to fight my thought process. Being bitter would do this losing battle little good. I had the past on my side, as well as Claire's brother and his influence. Despite her wants, I knew Claire wouldn't uproot Kal so suddenly, so I had some time as well. I just needed to use those few things to my advantage.

The ceremony went off without a hitch, and I was happy when it was over. We all moved to the next room for the reception, and I happened across my rival speaking quietly to Claire in a corner, and when she was ushered off by Natalie to help with Chelsea, I couldn't help but to walk up to him. He turned at the last moment, bumping into me.

"_Mi scusa_," he began, before shaking his head and chuckling. "Excuse me."

"I would like to talk to you, privately Senior Viento," I began, though I'm sure my expression was just as icy as my voice. The man's eyes flashed with wariness as he examined me.

"_Oh realmente? E lei è?" _He said with a hint of a smirk, but I simply removed my glasses, wiping them with a handkerchief as I translated his Italian. He followed me around the corner to the next vacant room.

"I am Richard Stanfill," I began, eyes narrowing as I returned my glasses to my face. "I am a friend of Claire's, and would like to discuss your intentions now that you know about Kalvin."

His eyebrows raised as I spoke, and I knew he understood what I was saying despite him trying to feign ignorance. I took a deep breath and stepped closer to the taller man, scowling up at him.

"I will not let you destroy that woman by taking her son," I said quietly, and I took some joy as his eyes widened, the fact that he hadn't even thought to do such a thing quite obvious. But I pressed on. "It would be best for you to stay away from her."

"_Non è il suo interesse" _he began, but I shook my head.

"It is my concern. I have been nothing less than a father to that child, and I had planned on being a husband to his mother. And I will be damned if you can come in here after these years and just destroy what I've worked so hard for."

"_Tesorina mia,_ is not your concern. Niether is _il mio figlio._"

His treasure? His son?

"I beg to disagree," I began but was interrupted by the man in front of me.

"While I appreciate you taking care of them both, now that I know about him, I will be more than happy to step up to the plate."

"Over my dead body. I will not let you walk in here and pluck her away after you carelessly tossed her aside." I growled, knowing full and well my skin was becoming a dark hue of red due to my anger.

"I can arrange that," he drawled out, clearly irritated with me already.

"Back off, Rick."

I snapped my head over to see Mark glaring at me. "And you, DNA provider, stop antagonizing him. You," he said, his attention back on me. "You have no reason telling him to stay away. You're nothing but a friend to Claire, and that is all you'll ever be."

"That isn't for you to decide," I muttered, turning my back on the Italian behind me. Mark shrugged.

"It isn't for Gray to decide either. And you like letting him tell her what to do, don't you?"

I didn't offer a response, instead immediately leaving the room.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

"Daddy!" I grinned over the ledge of the Dutch door as Eric reached for the knob. My son was my pride and joy, and it would probably do me good to focus on him rather than Claire's problems with her sperm donor.

"Hello, Mr. Stanfill. How are you?"

"Doing well, Ms. Elli," I murmured absentmindedly to the young brunette. I looked at her, noting that she had a blue ribbon in her hair today.

"You look insanely handsome today," she pointed out quietly, and I couldn't stop myself from flushing. My hair was still held neatly back in the hair tie, and though I had ditched my tie in the car and undone a few buttons, I was still in my nice dress pants and white long-sleeved button up.

"Daddy went to a wedding today," Eric pouted, staring up at me angrily. "Mama wouldn't let me go, so I had to come here," he told Elli, grinning when her hand patted his head reassuringly. "Kal got to go though. That isn't fair."

"Kal was in the wedding," I chuckled, finally opening the half door and allowing my son out. "Any trouble today Ms. Elli?"

"We had some issues at nap time. Eric didn't want to take one, but after a verbal warning he stayed quiet and still the rest of the time. I think that the excitement at his mom's might be causing trouble with sleeping," she said the latter part quietly, her lips quivering into a brief frown.

"Well," I began as Eric grabbed his belongings from the cubby in the hall. "That should stop soon. I'm planning on bringing Eric to live with me after the courts settle the matter. His mother," I began, but shook my head. "She isn't a bad person."

"Of course not. Mrs Richardson just has problems of her own to sort out. I am aware of that," Elli offered in a whisper, her hand reaching up and squeezing my forearm affectionately.

"Mr Stanfill, if you need any advice about the matters, please don't hesitate to contact me."

"Come on daddy!" Eric called, and I sighed, giving the woman a nod in acknowledgement.

"Thank you Elli. I'll see you tomorrow," I mumbled, and Eric ran down the hall and back up to me, standing on tip toe as he looked up at the woman leaning over the half door.

"Bye Ms. Elli. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Good bye Eric, Mr. Stanfill." I offered the woman a half hearted wave, raising an eyebrow at her flushed face. She must not be feeling well.

"Let's go home dad," Eric' voice brought me out of my thought and I gave him a reassuring smile and a firm nod.

Everything would be alright in the end, no matter what happened.

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**For some reason Rick makes me depressed. I feel so bad for him. I need to write him his own ficlet soon. To make up for the guilt.**


	7. Chapter 7

**I couldn't come up with what all should go on here, and realized by my outline this plot was rushed. so I'm fixing it by stretching this out some. Anyways...enjoy this awkwardness. **

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"Mama," Kal's sulking voice caused me to blink down at him in surprise as he pulled at my shirt, pointing his chubby finger into the living room. "Why is _he_ here? Uncle Gray doesn't like him, and I don't either."

I gaped down at the child, a sudden urge to twist my brother's ear and inflict pain on his stupid head overpowering. I narrowed my eyes, and Kalvin flushed, releasing my shirt and scuffing his shoe on the tile of the kitchen floor.

My brother's influence was far too great on my offspring.

"Uncle Gray is a good judge of charachitere," he explained, frowning at the last word as he realized it hadn't come out the way he had heard adults use it. Kalvin was too intelligent for his own good.

"Character," I corrected, my hand resting in the shaggy locks on his head. "Kalvin, the man is a very important friend to mommy, and it's important that you be nice to him, no matter what your uncle says."

"Mama," he began, shaking his head and peeking back to the man sitting on our couch. "Don't you think he looks like me?"

"I think you look like him. He is older, after all," I answered carefully, for the first time wondering how I would explain to the child that this was his father. Perhaps the best way to approach the situation would be to ease Kai into Kalvin's life.

"What do I say to him?"

"Go tell him about school, show him your violin. Tell him what you like," I offered, walking to the fridge. "I'm going to make some snacks for us, and then we might go to the park."

I watched as Kal disappeared out of the kitchen, hearing the low murmurs between the two out of my range of hearing. I couldn't help but to smile as I sliced up cheese for crackers when Kal's violin filled the air. He was very talented, had won first place at his school.

I often wondered if I pushed Kal to hard, with music and art. But I had often told him if he wanted to quit that he just needed to tell me.

He was a talented violinist, and had expressed interest in the cello when he got big enough to hold it properly. He loved making music, and I loved listening to it.

"I love to play," Kal's voice said loudly over his music, and I smiled more at the sound of Kai's deep chuckle as I placed the sliced cheese and crackers on a serving dish. I began searching the cabinet for toothpicks when I heard Kal add "It always makes mommy smile when I play. I like it when she smiles…"

I felt my smile falter at that, taking the tray and heading to the living room. I paused at the end of the kitchen, looking in on the two.

"You're mama smiles a lot, doesn't she?" Kal stopped playing at the question, and I held my breath.

"No…it usually a pretend smile. Mama…is sad a lot." I frowned at the words from my child, hesitating once more to step into the room.

"Why would she be sad, with such a handsome young son?" Kai's voice asked quietly, and I could hear Kal placing his violin in the case, and snapping it shut.

"I don't know. Aunt Mary says it's because she misses my papa." I felt my chest tighten, not realizing that anyone had ever mentioned Kal's father to him.

My son had never asked me about his father…

But evidently…

"Aunt Mary told you about your papa?"

"Aunt Mary tells me more than anyone. Uncle Mark and Uncle Gray say I'm too young to understand," Kal muttered, picking up his violin case and placing it in its place in the living room.

"Why not ask your mama?"

"Because she would cry," Kal said quietly, looking at Kai skeptically. "Aunt Mary says that mama doesn't talk about papa, that it hurts. So I wont ask her. When it doesn't hurt so bad, mama will tell me on her own."

"You are a very bright child," Kai mused, and Kal scowled at the man.

"I know."

"Who is hungry?" I called, catching Kai's grin as he looked at me. I gulped, eyes averting from his. He knew more about the situation than I did, and he knew it.

"Kalvin says he likes his school very much," Kai said as he poked a piece of a cheese with a toothpick. He popped it in his mouth and chewed on it slowly.

"Yes. He is the top of his class, and excels greatly in music and art," I murmured gently. "I suppose all that time at the museum stimulated his brain. I mean," I began to play with my hair, smiling at the memory. "I carried him around in a baby sling for awhile, working on paintings and filing works. He has spent more time in a museum than most grown men."

"I'm going to put on my shoes," Kal informed us both, walking into his room and shutting the door.

"He's wary about you because Gray doesn't like you," I explained quietly, though a smile grew on my face. "However, he doesn't play his violin for just anyone."

"I think the boy understands more than we know," Kai said thoughtfully, eyes shutting before looking at me purposefully. "He's never asked you about me?"

"I…no. He's never asked me," I murmured, the realization truly dawning on me. I couldn't remember him ever asking me.

"_Tesorina mia_, it seems that our _figlio_ is a lot like me in many ways. He loves to see his mama smile, and will suffer silently to keep her from crying."

"Kai…" I began, shaking my head. "I'm not that woman anymore, you know?"

"No, _tesorina mia_, you are very much still that woman. I just have to figure out how to prove that to you."

That said the man stood, Kal conveniently coming out of his room and asking if it was time to go to the park.

Kai Viento had a plan forming in his handsome head, and that worried me greatly. It hadn't taken him very long to shake my world up before, and judging by the beating of my heart, it wouldn't take near as long this time either.


End file.
